Collapsible drying rack



Nov. 11 1947. E. M, JOHNSON COLLAPSIBLE DRYING BACK Filed Feb. 21, 1945 VEOR.

H/VSON ELL/5 M; JO

Patented Nov. 11, 1947 aisn UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COLLAPSIBLE DRYING RACK Ellis M. Johnson, Chicago, Ill.

Application February 21, 1946, Serial No. 649,139

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in clothes racks.

It is an object of this invention to provide a device of the character specified which is collapsible and suitable for use in homes or the like.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved clothes rack adapted as a wall attachment in which the rack proper may be pivotally moved to be out of the way.

A further object of this invention is to provide a supporting member, adapted to be attached to the wall, said supporting member having a hinged body attached therewith and positioned above it with the holding arms secured in holes positioned therein, and having spring tensioned means to hold the body with the arms in a horizontal position, but which will allow the arms to drop downwardly and substantially parallel with the wall, so as to occupy only a small space, when the rack is not in use.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the character specified, which is durable and inexpensive to manufacture.

The various objects and features of this invention will be best and more fully understood by reference to the following detailed description of a typical preferred form of the invention, throughout which description reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure I is a detail perspective view showing the invention mounted on a wall, or the like;

Figure II is a face or front view of the invention, the same being shown with the arms of the rack extended horizontally;

Figure III is a side elevational View of the device shown in Figure II;

Figure IV is a side view of the device shown in Figure II with the arms of the rack extending vertically downward;

Figure V is an enlarged detail view similar to Figure III, parts shown dotted in another position as shown in Figure IV;

Figure VI is an enlarged detail sectional view taken as indicated by the line VIVI on Figure II.

The device provided by this invention includes, generally, a support or mounting, a body pivotally carried by the support and positioned thereabove, and arms supported by the body. With reference to the drawings, and numerals indicated thereon, l denotes a wall with supporting bracket ll securely fastened to the wall, or other structure, by means of screws I2,

or the like. The support is [made out of a single piece of wood, or the like, and, as shown clearly in all the views. A body M is pivotally mounted above the support by hinges l5 and IS. The top of said body [4 is curved and the ends thereof join the rounded end portions of the support II to give the device graceful contour. The body It has holes drilled therein to receive the inner end portions of the arms ll, in the manner hereinafter described.

The support II is positioned against the wall and secured thereto, and when the body I4 is mounted above said support in a fixed position, the arms I! carried thereby extend outwardly and horizontally therefrom. The body I4 is held in fixed position by spring tensioned means carried by said support. A pin I8 is positioned vertically within a cavity IS in said support II' and held therein by spring 26, lock-pin 2|, and handle 22 connected therewith. The upper end 23 of said pin l8 extends into a metallic sleeve 24 positioned within a cavity 25 in body l4. when said body is arranged thereabove as shown in Figures I, II, III, V, and VI. The end 23 of pin it? extends outside the support H and into the space thereabove, as shown in Figure IV, when the body is swung to a different position. When the body [4 is rotated or swung from the vertical fixed position to a substantially horizontal position as shown in Figure IV, the arms I! assume a position substantially parallel to the wall lil. To rotate said body M as stated above, the handle 22 is pulled downwardly, which in turn pulls the upper end 23 of pin [8 away from the body 14 which releases the body, allowing the weight of the arms I! and the force of gravity to cause said body to rotate, thereby allowing the arms to be lowered to a vertical position. It will be understood, of course, that the various parts thus far described fit together so that the body can be freely manipulated in the manner just described between the two positions illustrated in Figures III and IV.

The arms I!, Of which there may be any suitable number are ubstantially parallel with each other and are carried by and rigidly secured in said body l4 so they can not be moved towards each other whereby clothes hung thereon may come in contact therewith. The arms may be of any suitable length; the central arms are shown here by the drawing to be longer than the arms positioned adjacent the ends of the body l4, and said arms may b finished so that they are neat and sightly.

When the device is not in use the arms I! may 3 be lowered to assume a vertical position, as illustrated in Figure IV and described above. When it is desired to put the rack in position for supporting articles, the handle 22 is pulled downwardly to lower the upper end of 23 of pin I8 within cavity IQ of support H, then the body l4 may be rotated or swung upwardly whereby the body assumes a position directly above said support II and the arms [I extend outwardly and horizontally with relation to the wall I 0.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a rack constructed in accordance with the invention will be extremely simple and inexpensive in construction, but which will be strong and durable, and at the same time admirably serve the purpose for which it is intended.

I have illustrated and described this rack in a practical embodiment. I have not attempted to illustrate or describe certain modifications I contemplate, as I believe the disclosure made will enable those skilled in the art to embody the improvements as may be desired.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device of the character described including, a support, a body, a plurality of arms connected to the body to project outwardly therefrom, means for holding said body to said support so that it is movable between a position where the arms extend downwardly and a position where the arms project outward, and a spring ten sioned pin movable in cavities in said support and body for locking said body in position when the arms extend outwardly in a horizontal position.

2. A device of the character described including, a support, a body juxtaposed above said support, a plurality of arms of varied lengths arranged in an arc and rigidly connected with the body to project outwardly therefrom, means for holding said body to said support so that it is movable between a position where the arms extend downwardly and a position where the arms project outwardly, and a spring tensioned pin movable vertically in cavities in said support and '4 body for securing said body in position when the arms extend outwardly in a horizontal position.

3. In combination, a collapsible drying rack including a support member and a body pivotally mounted and juxtaposed above said support member, arms of varied length secured in said body and arranged to extend outwardly therefrom, and a spring tensioned pin movable vertically in cavities in said support member and body for securing said body with said arms in a fixed position when said arms extend horizontall therefrom. 4. A collapsible clothes rack adapted to be hun on a wall comprising, a support member, a body member pivotally mounted to said support member and juxtaposed above the same, a plurality of clothes supporting arms having their inner ends secured to said body, said body being turnable on its pivotal mounting into either a position in which said arms are directed downwardly or into a position in which the arms extend horizontally, and said body when in the latter position being held in such position by means of a spring tensioned pin, said pin being mounted vertically in a cavity in said support with a handle portion at the lower end thereof, the upper end of said pin extending into a cavity in said body member when said arms extend horizontally.

ELLIS M. JOHNSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 283,728 Ward Aug. 21, 1883 484,085 Caspar Oct. 11, 1892 546,559 Rowley Sept, 17, 1895 860,808 Keegan July 23, 1907 1,228,560 Hunter June 5, 1917 1,442,395 Gmeinwieser Jan. 16, 1923 1,510,056 Hamson Sept. 30, 1924 1,705,203 Patterson Mar. 12, 1929 

